The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-05-06

A JAPANESE ACCOUNT OF FANS.
Probably Chinese Invention Fans for
CeremoniOus Occasions.

Probably a Chinese Invention Fans for
Ceremonious Occasions.
DIR. D. 3. McCartee, for many years
a missionary and educator in China
and Japan, and now a resident of
Washington, District of Columbia,
has favored us with a translation he
has made of a japanese account of
the fans Of that nation. DR.. Me
Cartcc is one of the most accom-
plished Chinese and japanese scholars
in America, and his views on any
Oriental custom carry the weight Of
authority.
The present communication is a
translation from the French of Mr..
Matsugata's report entitled 50 lie
Japon a L'Exposition Universelle
de 1878"
There are in Japan two kinds of
fans; one called sensu Chinese Shen-
thu. which folds up and Is easily
carried; the other of a round shape
and which does not fold up.
No one knows exactly tie origin of
fans Ia Japan, but the traditions have
uniformly taught us that about the
year go ADJ, during the reign of
the emperor Tenji (whO adopted many
of the Institutions and customs of
the Chinese). an inhabitant of Tamba.
1OOAtHB Ut bdlS IOlAAlLl8 anu lLlAlOttA-
ing their wings, conceived the idea
of making fans Of leaves. which
from that circumstance bore the name
of kuwa hori, which means bat.
The fan called Hi 81 Tor Hitree
fan1 was made from the leaves of
the Hi-no-h (Chamacvparis obtusa).
The leaves were tied to each other by
threads.
Another kind of fan called Chukei
Chinese Chu Kin, lit. bamboo tendOns
or veins) Is made of bamboo. It has
the appearance of being half open
when it is shut. These two kinds of
fans are only carried on the occasion of
great ceremonies.
The ordinary fans are made in
Kioto, Osaka and Dwarf; but the better
kinds are made in Toxic The leaves
cribs bones, sticks or staysl of fans are
made of bamboo, but ivory, shell and
shitan wood imported from China) are
also used.
They are decorated with mother-of-
pearl, coral and lacquer work. The
paper which covers the ' bones of
the fan Is frequently OTuamented
with gold Leaf, drawings, flowers,
birds etc.
1t is sometimes necessary to give
the paper a coating Of shibcr Tor
varnish made from the Juice Of the
rsw psrsimmon) to give it greater solid
ijy or tilmuess.
There is also a kind of fan very
rich In quality and of a larger size
which is used by dancers to beat
TIM, or in making graceful motions.
The Achiwa, or fans which do
not fold mp, come principally from
Nara, some twenty miles or so
from Kioto. They are generally made
of paper, but sometimes Of silk.
About 1900 (A.D), during the
period called Kuamhun, a Bud
dhist) preacher named Geusal noted
for his artistic taste, AMI who
was also a poet, devoted himself
at FuEakusa, in the province oG Yam
ashirO, to the making of fans. which
were very beautiful and in perfect good
taste.
These fans, which acquired a great
reputation, were known as Fukakusa
Uchiwa. They are one of the princi-
pal products of that province The
best Uchiwa are made at Toxic, but
as the varieties of this kind of fans are
very numerous, we viii not weary
our readers by enumerating them in
detail.
TNoTE-The translator does not
hold himself responsible for the in
consistencies of this account. The
emperor, Ienji, introduced many of
the Chinese manners and customs into
Japan and many limitations Of the
Chinese official forms and offices. Cal
endars, almanacs, and the mode of
denominating the year, were all intro
duced about the same time from China
and fans probably at the same time
also. The Chinese name used in Japan
would confirm the supposition that
the better kinds of fans, at least, were
introduced from China.-D. B. McC.l
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